This blog is about giving voice to the voiceless in occupied Palestine by myself and other contributing journalists who have seen first-hand the horror of Israeli apartheid.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Life in Bizzaro World

Just when I thought I had seen it all in Israel/Palestine, a new twist manages to take me by surprise.

An officer in the Israeli army is going to receive NIS 80,000 shekels (About $17,110.00), in compensation from the State of Israel after he was cleared of all charges in the death of a 13-year old Palestinian girl. Iman Al Hamas. In what became known as the "confirmed kill" affair.

Since the incident the officer has been promoted to major, and is currently serving as an operations officer in the Givati infantry brigade's Shaked battalion

The judges in the officer's case accepted his version of events, in which he stated that the shots that he fired were not aimed directly at the girl's body. The officer stated that he fired shots to create a deterrence, and felt that the young girl posed a serious threat.

I'm sure I am dreaming all of this. Surely, I have entered into some sort of backwards universe; Where bad means good up means down, and getting shot several times at point blank range is just some sweet nation-loving soldier's way of saying he cares for you.

Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is. I'll just close my eyes, click the ruby red slippers I'm wearing and I'll be back in Kansas in no time. Because this would never happen in a democracy. Not with an army that has a "Purity of Arms" doctrine.